


It Ended As It Began

by AHeartForStories



Series: AHeartForStories' Whumptober 2020 [19]
Category: How to Train Your Dragon (Movies)
Genre: Blood, Blood and Injury, F/M, Graphic Description, Major character death - Freeform, Whump, Whumptober 2020
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-19
Updated: 2020-10-19
Packaged: 2021-03-08 18:01:02
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,638
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27110857
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AHeartForStories/pseuds/AHeartForStories
Summary: Written for Whumptober Day 19. Post-Httyd 2. It ends as it began, the two of them against a dragon greater than life. In the aftermath, the Riders search for their friend and leader. MAJOR CHARACTER DEATHS.
Relationships: Astrid & Fishlegs & Hiccup & Ruffnut & Snotlout & Tuffnut, Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III & Toothless, Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III/Astrid Hofferson
Series: AHeartForStories' Whumptober 2020 [19]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1949440
Comments: 16
Kudos: 39





	It Ended As It Began

**Author's Note:**

> NOTE: MAJOR CHARACTER DEATHS. Just in case the rating and the summary weren't enough.
> 
> Written in the span of a day for the Whumptober prompt: Grief.  
> Probably not for the sensitive.
> 
> Constructive criticism is appreciated!  
> Enjoy!

It was by the defeat of a giant dragon that it began and so it is how it ended.

With the end of the Red Death and the Good Bewilderbeast of the Sanctuary, it is only natural that a new challenger would come to try to take the throne they left behind. The one manning it was a Night Fury, it's only natural that he thought he could win, unaware that it is this Night Fury and his Rider that ended the Cruel Queen of the North.

He was a Bewilderbeast and one very much unlike the gentle King that tragically lost his life in defense of his nest. He wasn't like Drago's either, an abused animal forced to do his bidding after years of abuse and conditioning. This one had come with ambitious intentions and he was willing to do anything to succeed.

He was young and in his prime, just fully grown and ready to take on the entire world. Unfortunately for him, a boy and his dragon were all that it took.

It's not like Hiccup and Toothless wanted to slay this one. When he came to challenge Berk's Dragon King, they tried the peaceful approach. On Dragon Island they met and there they tried the diplomatic way as dragons know of diplomacy, it just doesn't look the same as the way humans do it.

Too stubborn to let this go, the Bewilderbeast demanded a fight, thinking it was already won. And as things got violent and it became clear it was either him or them, they chose themselves.

Both parties got the last hit in. Toothless' last blast, well-aimed and strong, had torn the challenger apart on the inside. And the challenger's last pillars of ice had knocked them out of the sky.

It was agony for the Dragon Riders to be forced to stay on the sidelines. As it were Hiccup and Toothless, especially, who had been challenged, they were expected to do the fight by themselves.

Despite this, they had faith. They've defeated the Red Death at the young age of 15 and that was only the beginning of the things they've achieved and done. They had faith that the unbeatable duo would make it through this one as well.

But then they were taken out, too, and there was something about this crash that made it seem different from all the rest.

That is why, tear-stained and in a hurry, that they run towards Hiccup now.

After searching the beach that has become the site of another battle, a labyrinth after all the ice that has been spewn, they have finally found their Chief.

"Hiccup. Hiccup!" Astrid calls out to her husband, her legs carrying her as fast as they will go.

He's lying motionless on the snow-covered ground, on his front and facing away from them. All five of them run like they've never run before.

Before they can reach him, there's movement and for a moment he seems miraculously okay as he tries to get up on his hands and knees.

But only for a moment and the Riders aren't even given a chance to be overcome with a false sense of relief before it is taken away from them. Because even though Hiccup manages to get up on all fours, he lurches and throws up what can only be blood.

"Hiccup!" Astrid's call rises and she runs faster than she's ever run before to reach him. The sound of his coughing and retching becomes louder as she throws herself to her knees next to him, her hands landing on his shoulders.

He startles before he takes one of her hands and feels around until his blood-covered one reaches her cheek.

"Hiccup, what's wrong?" She asks, wondering what may be the matter besides the obvious. Why is he acting like this? Like he can't see?

"A-A-A" He tries to speak, tries to say her name while his eyes stare right through her from a face filled with pain.

Her name refuses to leave him and he collapses in her arms. She catches him and holds him close, the others arrive.

"Oh Gods, what's wrong with him?" Someone asks, watching as blood doesn't just cover his mouth and teeth, but comes out of his nose and ears, too. The crash had been devastating.

At this point, as the Riders settle on their knees around Hiccup, they don't know which would've been better, but they find the fact that he's still alive disturbing. Because the amount of blood leaving him as he coughs and wheezes is concerning.

Fishlegs reaches over, brushes Hiccup's hair out of his eyes before waving a hand in front of him. He doesn't respond and that means they can only come to one conclusion.

Astrid, Fishlegs, Snotlout, Ruffnut, Tuffnut, they all share a look as horrible realization sets in.

"Hey Hiccup, Babe, you're going to be okay. We're going to get you back home and Gothi will look after you. She'll make sure you'll be okay." Astrid tells him, holding him to her and stroking his cheek.

He doesn't respond to that either and they're left to wonder what exactly that means.

"I-I-I-I-I-It's-It's-It's-" Hiccup tries again and again to speak, to utter a single word, but nothing will come out. Nothing but more coughing.

"What should we do?" Snotlout asks, oddly enough too distressed to react much. They have to do something to help him, sitting around in the snow isn't going to do much.

Fishlegs may have an idea as he makes another move, loosening Hiccup's armor enough to help him feel around underneath, the movement confuses him.

"W-w-"

"Hiccup, there's something I need to check. Please brace yourself." Fishlegs tells him before finding his abdomen to touch and feel around. Despite his warning, Hiccup still cries out in pain and surprise, completely taken off guard. They all cringe at his anguish and Snotlout has to take his hands when he wants to stop Fishlegs, not understanding what's being done to him.

"Shh, it's okay, Hiccup. Fishlegs is trying to help you." He tells him, raising his voice in a fruitless attempt to help him hear him.

Now undisturbed, Fishlegs continues his examination of Hiccup's stomach only for it to be rock hard. It is filled with blood, his insides a torn-up mess.

Even if they were on Berk, nothing could be done to help him.

Fishlegs communicates this with a single devastated look and the news sinks in for the other four.

"No..." Astrid whispers, her tears from before returning.

"What?! No! There has to be something we can do!" Tuffnut protests. They can't just give up on him like this!

"We can't just give up on him! Hiccup deserves better!" Ruffnut sniffs, her voice breaking.

Fishlegs removes his hands from Hiccup's person and the latter lifts a hand. His arm trembles as it takes effort to even move it.

"T-T-T-T-" He tries to say his dragon's name, pointing towards where he thinks Toothless must be. He thinks and they know it's completely in the opposite direction because they found him before they found Hiccup. It's the reason why they were crying before they even spotted him in the snow.

They are without their dragons because they didn't want to leave Toothless alone. Not even now that he's... And it turns out Hiccup is about to follow him.

His hand drops as he loses the strength to keep it up. It falls to the snow and Fishlegs picks it up to hold in his own. Snotlout lays his hands on his shoulder and an arm, squeezing to let him know that he's not alone. Ruffnut takes his free hand and Tuffnut lays a hand on his knee to tell him everyone is here.

Feeling them near him, as if only now realizing what they've already realized, Hiccup lays his head on his wife's shoulder and cries silently. The tears run down his face, but there's not a sob and barely a sniff.

He's accepting it. There's nothing that can be done and fighting this fact will only bring more unnecessary grief. The worst part is that he's still hoping his best Bud will at least be okay without him.

Nobody says a word as they wait, barely noticing the cold as it can never compare to what they feel on the inside. It wouldn't be of much use either, Hiccup can't hear or see them.

Lying against the love of his life, head on her warm shoulder, Hiccup's eyes slowly fall close.

"It's okay, you can go. We'll be fine, Berk will be fine. You did great as Chief and Dragon Rider, you can go now." Though he can't hear a word she says, she still sends these reassurances to him and hopes he'll be able to hear them in Valhalla. She places a kiss on his forehead and hopes he'll still be able to feel it.

He stills, his wheezing coming slower and slower. He becomes limp and heavier in Astrid's arms until he's completely slack.

They hold their breath as Fishlegs removes the chest piece to have a listen. When he draws back, there's a grieving look on his face.

"He's gone."

They all burst out in tears. Sobbing, they come closer together and hold each other as they cry. They can hear their dragons doing the same in the distance.

The only comfort they have is that Hiccup and Toothless left Midgard together as they were meant to. They are sure to be accepted as valiant heroes in Valhalla and welcomed by the greatest warriors Viking and dragon kind have ever known. And Hiccup, he'll see his father again.

In time, when their turn comes, they'll be able to see them again, too. He'll be waiting for them, they know he will.

**Author's Note:**

> And then they reunited in Valhalla and met again in a much happier Modern AU where they do get to grow old together.

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [(I Just) Died in Your Arms](https://archiveofourown.org/works/27718313) by [ashleybenlove](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ashleybenlove/pseuds/ashleybenlove)




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